A Second Tyranny

No Longer Lost

WHIT

I parked the car on the road beside the church and got out with Wisty, Emmet, Byron, Ross, and Janine to attend the memorial service. Emmet and Ross were garbed in navy blue suits and matching ties, whereas the ones Byron and I wore were black. Wisty and Janine had both shown up in a dark dress. We went over the sidewalk, through the yard, and into the church which was pretty crowded by the time we arrived. This was a memorial organized for three kids at once; therefore I wasn't surprised to see that this many people had come to attend.

The pews were filling up by friends of the deceased, families of the friends, neighbours, and acquaintances, who chatted amongst themselves in low voices. The six of us took our seats in the very first row next to the families and relatives of the three dead kids.

At the front of the church, three catafalques were placed beside one another with several feet between them. The kids' bodies lay on top of each, with the boy in the middle and the two little girls on either side. I saw that the one on the left before us was occupied by Bettina Alexandra Gannon, who had been a good friend of Wisty's and whom the undertaker had clothed in a plain baby pink dress.

As I looked around, I spotted Anna and Elsa coming through the entrance. Anna was in a lemon-chiffon dress and Elsa donned an ivory one.

"The Queen and Princess of Arendelle are here," I told the others, who also turned their heads to look in their direction.

Anna waved at us when she caught sight of where we were. She and Elsa made their way down the nave and took their seats on the pew behind us.

"Hey! I didn't know you two were coming," I greeted them.

"Of course we were," said Elsa. "I was the one who got you and Wisty to open the portals. It was because of me that the Lost Ones came out and killed those three poor kids. The least I can do for them is to pay them my respect."

Anna admitted, "It was my fault too. If I wasn't trapped in Shadowland, Elsa wouldn't have to get me out, and those kids," she turned to Wisty, "including your friend Bettina, would still be alive. You know, I was thinking maybe I could say a few words of kindness for each of them, if everyone here's okay with that."

"They will be. You're welcomed to," said Byron.

The service began twenty minutes later. Eulogies and prayers were offered by family members, relatives, and friends—including us—to each of the three dead people in turn. We recounted warm remembrances and anecdotes, and shared stories about the deceased. Anna also went up to the podium and gave them a short speech of kindness, followed by Elsa. Afterwards I went up to the kids' families and relatives to express to them my condolences, and Wisty and the rest of my friends did the same. Meanwhile, the undertakers removed the bodies from the catafalques and carefully placed them within wooden caskets. People laid beautiful flowers around the bodies, with a bunch of them also clutched over their chests.

Everyone went outside to the cemetery surrounding the church for the funeral, where graves had already been dug up and prepared in separate areas. Wisty, Anna, Elsa, my friends, and I stood next to Bettina's station along with all her beloved. After her casket was put to rest, the father of the little girl initiated the burial ceremony by depositing a shovel of earth into the grave. Her mother, her siblings, her grandparents, and the rest of us followed, taking our turns.

"Bettina was such a brave little girl. She didn't deserve to die," said Wisty mournfully after the funeral was over. "I'm going to miss her."

I put an arm around her shoulders in comfort and said quietly, "We should've given Pearl Marie a proper burial too, you know." Wisty, who was sniffing, could only nod in response. "Bettina Alexandra Gannon will be well remembered," I added.